J. Hinrich Wilhelms was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms. She was scuttled at Bordeaux, France in August 1944. Post-war, she was refloated and entered French merchant service as Audacieux and later Helios, then Sopite. Converted to a cargo ship in 1961, she was scrapped in 1974.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Deschimag Seebeckwerft |
| Yard number | 522 |
| Launched | 6 October 1934 |
| Completed | 27 October 1934 |
| Commissioned | 22 September 1939 |
| Out of service | 1944–45 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 51.35 metres (168 ft 6 in) (1934–61) |
| Beam | 8.00 metres (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 4.65 metres (15 ft 3 in) |
| Depth | 3.74 metres (12 ft 3 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | Single screw propeller |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
Description
editAs built, Deutschland was 51.35 metres (168 ft 6 in) long, with a beam of 8.00 metres (26 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 3.74 metres (12 ft 3 in) and a draught of 4.65 metres (15 ft 3 in).[1] She was assessed at 440 GRT, 162 NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 35 centimetres (13+3⁄4 in), 55 centimetres (21+5⁄8 in) and 90 centimetres (35+7⁄16 in) diameter by 65 centimetres (25+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft, Wesermünde, Germany. It was rated at 123nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller driven via a low pressure turbine, double reduction gearing and a hydraulic coupling.[2] It could propel the ship at 12 knots (22 km/h).[1]
History
editThe ship was built as yard number 521 by Deschimag Seekbeckwerft, Wesermünde for the Hochseefischerei Carl Kämpf Partenreederei, Wesermünde. She was launched on 6 October 1934 and completed on 27 October. The fishing boat registration PG 500 was allocated.[3] She was allocated the Code Letters DFBJ.[2]
J. Hinrich Wilhelms was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine on 22 September 1939 for use as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenflotille as V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms.[3] On 22 August 1944, she was scuttled at Bordeaux, Gironde, France.[4]
J. Hinrich Wilhelms was refloated post-war, returning to merchant service as the French fishing boat Audacieux.[3] The Code Letters TPYZ were allocated.[5] By the 1950s, she had been renamed Helios. In 1958, she was re-engined with a diesel engine and renamed Sopite.[3] She was now owned by the Cooperative Itsasokoa, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Gironde.[6] The fishing boat registration BA 1494 was allocated.[3] The engine was a four-stroke single acting engine. It was built by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz, Köln. It had 6 cylinders of 32 centimetres (12+5⁄8 in) diameter by 45 centimetres (17+11⁄16 in) stroke. Sopite was assessed at 451 GRT, 210 NRT.[5] In 1961 she was lengthened and converted to a cargo ship.[6] She was scrapped in Spain in the third quarter of 1974.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b Gröner 1993, p. 205.
- ^ a b "J. Hinr. Wilhelms (10028)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Chalutiers &c. J (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1935–1936. Retrieved 30 November 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
- ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1993, p. 212.
- ^ "Vorpostenflottillen 1939 – 1945" (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Sonsbeek REGISTER OF SHIPS 1959-60". Register of Ships 1959-60. London: Lloyd's Register. 1959. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Sopite (5334406)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
Sources
edit- Gröner, Erich (1993). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German). Vol. 8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4807-5.